Dispenser



March 15, 1932. G, W ANDERSON 1,849,901

DISPENSER f Filed Feb. 24, 1931 mym 0 projecting cylindrical spout 7 The shell 6 is Patented Mar. 15, 1932 GEORGE W. ANDERSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA DISPENSER Application led February 24, 1931. Serial No. 517,817.v

This invention relates to dispensers for granular material, such as granular soap, sugar, salt and the like. l

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a dispenser for granular material, which is of cheap and simple construction and can be used for dispensing a predetermined amount of the granular material without permitting the granular material to io clog the outlet of the dispenser.

It is a further object to provide a dispenser including a funnel-like shellA and a rotary brush in the shell above the outlet thereof, which brush serves to divide' .the granular 'i5 material to prevent the same from freely running through the outlet until the brush is rotated and at the same time serves to agitate the granular material, maintain the outlet in non-clogged condition and distribute a pre- ZO determined amount of the granular material to the outlet as the brush is rotated.

Another object is to provide a novel valve for use in a dispenser which can be quickly adjusted to vary the quantity of granular mafl terial that may be discharged at a given time.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings,

5u wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views and, in which, Y v

Fig. 1 is a view taken in side elevation of the dispenser as applied in operative relation to a vertical panel, certain of the parts being broken away to more clearly show the construction thereof;

Fig. 2 isa vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows, and

illustrating the shell of the dispenser;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the shell and bracket.;-

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the disks forming the valve; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the two disks forming the valve. l Y

In accordance with the present invention. there is provided a funnel-shaped shell 6 having an open upper end and a downwardly withdrawal preferably of splitconstruction, the two sections of the shell being secured together as by a screw 8 running through an opening in a lug 9 formed on one of the sections and eX- tending into a screw threaded opening ina lug 9 on the other of the sections. Blocks 10 project outwardly from the two sections adjacent their upper endsat sides opposite the lugs 9 and vthese blocks are securedv together by a screw 11. A bracket 12 adapted to be secured as to a vertical panel 13 has Va T- shaped opening 14 therein and the two blocks 10, when assembled together, form a T-shaped portion 15 adapted to be held within the T- shaped opening 14 of the bracket 12. The arms of the bracket 12 forming the side walls of the T-shaped opening 14 maybe of wedgeshape to lit within corresponding `wedgeshaped grooves at the outer sides of the T- shaped portion 15. A spring wire 16 shaped as best illustrated in Fig. 1, hasa portion itting within a vertical opening formed by the two blocks 10 through the provision of mating grooves in theopposing surfaces there-- of, and this spring wire is adapted to bear against the bracket 12 and fit within the T- opening 14 thereof to prevent unwarranted removal of the shell 6 from the bracket 12.

The upper inner surface of the shell 6 is equipped with a screw thread 17 to permit-a container 18, such as a mason jar having an exterior screw thread at its open end, to be releasably applied to the shell 6. The shell has a pair of horizontal bearing portions 19 and 2O respectively projecting upwardly from its lower surface above the spout'7 and these bearing portions are bored to receive the.

shank 21 of a brush having bristles 22. The shank 21 is preferably formed-from a pair of twisted wires and is bent at its outer end' to form a crank portion to which ahandle 23 is applied. The bristles 22 vare held be.- tweenthe twisted wires forming` the `shank 21 intermediate the two bearing portions 19 and 20 and extend radially from the shank, the bristles forming a substantially cylindrical mass-rounded slight-lyadjacent its ends. To maintain the brush in position in thebearing portions 19 and 20 and to prevent the of the brush, a nutl24 is preferl determined'amount of the Y ably soldered to the shank 21 inwardly from erally diametrically of the disks almost across the same and by rotating one of the disks 27, as the lower disk, relative to the other disk 27, as the upper disk, the size of the alined portions of the slots of the Vdisks may be varied. The bristles 22 of the brush are of such length that they will closely lit the lower portion of the shell 6 and strike the upper disk 27 to lit within the slot of the upper disk and the 1alined portion of the slot of the lower disk.

'The granular-material to be dispensed will be held within the container 18 and shell 6. Under normal conditions, the bristles 22 of the brush will prevent the granular material vfrom discharging through the alined portions of the Vslots of the disks 27. As the brush is turned by rotation ofthe crank portion of the shank 21, the bristles 22 will carry al certain quantity of the granular material with them from the upper side of the brush downwardly to the two disks 27, whereupon this granular material will flow through the alined portions of the slots of the disks to be discharged through the spout 7 At the same time the brush is rotated, the upper disk 27 together with the alined portion of the slot of the lower disk will be swept by the bristles 22 to maintain the outlet opening of the valve in clean condition and to prevent clogging ofthe outlet opening by the granular material. The brush also acts to agitate the granular material above the valve to prevent the same from caking in the shell' 6. As the twisted wires forming the shank 21 of the brush'act'somewhat like a scr-ew conveyor to carry a small `quantity ofthe granular materialintothe bore of the bearing portion 20 Y when the brush'is rotated in a normal clockwise direction,this granular material would soon build up in the bore of the bearing por .tion 2O but for the opening 25. The open ing 25 permits the releaseof any granular material carried into thebore of the bearing yportion 20. As the spout 7 projects for some distance below the valve, the spout acts asl a guard to prevent access of water or moisture to the valve from below .the same. By rotation of one disk 27 relative to the other,l the size of the outlet openingof the valve may bevaried to permit dispensationof but a pregranular material whenther Vbrush'is rotated. A

. `The dispenser-of the present invention has 'beentzamplygand successfully demonstrated in actual practice. The parts of the device are' few, the assembly of the device is simple and the device requires practically no servicing.

Itk will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departure from the scope of the present invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and describedk and set forth in the appended claims.

1. A dispenser for granular material compr'ising, a chamber within which the granular material is adapted to Ybe stored and having an outlet opening at its lower end, a rotary brush mounted withinsaid chamber over said y opening, said brush having bristles normally preventing the flow of granular material from saidcha-mber through said opening, and adapted to yfeedthe granular material to said opening to .-be discharged from said chamber as said ,brush is rotated.

A2. A dispenser forfgranular material comprising, afunnel-shaped. shell vvhaving o an outlet opening, a twisted wire brush having bristles projecting radially therefrom mounted in said shell over said opening for rotation to sweep the shell `adj acent said opening and means `for rotating said brush.

3. A dispenser for granular material having in combination, .a funnel-shaped shell having a discharge spout, `a pair of slotted disks mounted one above the other in said spout, one of lsaid-disks'being capable of being rotated relative Vto the other disk to vary the sizeof tllealined portions of said slots and means for carrying a quantity yof the granular material to :beqdispensed to a point above said disks, said means comprising a rotary `brush-mounted 'in saidshell above said spout. j

4. A dispenser 'for granular materialhaving in combination, a she'll'having a discharge spout, a valve locatedin said spout, a brush having va twisted wire shank journaled for rotation above said spout and having bristles extending radially from said-shank to sweep said valve,-a-nd means for rotating saidbrush.

5. The structure defined in' claim 4, said shell `having boredbearing portions within which said twisted wire shank is journaled and one of said bearing portionshaving an l opening leadingointo thebore thereof to `permit egress ofjthe granularmaterial carried into the'bore thereof'throughthescrew conveyor actionofsaid shank. K

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE w. ANDERsoN. 

